Maybe a dumb question

OK. I just built a new computer last month. Did the usuals. SSD for boot drive. 4TB worth of storage so little more than Win 7 on the boot drive. If the Win 10 upgrade hoses the boot drive it's no big deal to start again. Everything important is already on other drives.

Now on to my stupid question and it has to do with licensing. I took my old computer and installed Vista that wasn't being used (I know, I know but it's all I had) This computer is now in the living room as my multimedia center. Once my primary box is upgraded to Win 10 (likely tonight) does that free up the key for Win7? Can I put Win7 on my multimedia box that has Vista on it? Even sweeter would be if I could then upgrade THAT box to Win 10 too. I have downloaded the Win 10 64bit ISO. Doubt it's gonna work with Vista though.....

Staff MemberPremium Supporter

I will be very honest with you with this question because I'm not sure anyone but Microsoft knows the answer to that question at this point. But when you upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8 to Windows 10, what appears to happen is that you are issued a NEW product key, after your original authentic and genuine license key for Windows 7/Windows 8 is authenticated. This could mean that (1) either your license key was changed OR (2) you have been issued a free genuine license key for Windows 10 OR (3) both.

As to how these license keys are supposed to be used, at this point in time, and whether by freeing up your Windows 7 license key, you are thereby "gaining" a free Windows 10 key as well as "freeing" your Windows 7 key, I cannot say if this is accurate, as to what Microsoft considers a "free" upgrade. But, technically, it is very unlikely something technical would stop you from doing it. If you have any questions about it, though, for the purposes of maintaining a valid license, you should, of course, use the Windows Activation Telephone Number if you were to run into issues.

You can also contact Microsoft Technical Support for Windows 10 via Live Chat once you are in Windows 10.

I will be very honest with you with this question because I'm not sure anyone but Microsoft knows the answer to that question at this point. But when you upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8 to Windows 10, what appears to happen is that you are issued a NEW product key, after your original authentic and genuine license key for Windows 7/Windows 8 is authenticated. This could mean that (1) either your license key was changed OR (2) you have been issued a free genuine license key for Windows 10 OR (3) both.

As to how these license keys are supposed to be used, at this point in time, and whether by freeing up your Windows 7 license key, you are thereby "gaining" a free Windows 10 key as well as "freeing" your Windows 7 key, I cannot say if this is accurate, as to what Microsoft considers a "free" upgrade. But, technically, it is very unlikely something technical would stop you from doing it. If you have any questions about it, though, for the purposes of maintaining a valid license, you should, of course, use the Windows Activation Telephone Number if you were to run into issues.

You can also contact Microsoft Technical Support for Windows 10 via Live Chat once you are in Windows 10.

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Thanks for the reply Mike. Yeah, this does seem to be quite the gray area. They're offering Win 10 for free and I'm all for free. Not really on a mission to steal it though. In the next few days I'm sure more info on this will come to light.